Sugar Bowl: Why Ohio State Is Playing for More Than Just Big Ten Pride

Tuesday night in New Orleans the Ohio State Buckeyes face the Arkansas Razorbacks in what many consider to be the most highly anticipated game of this bowl season. 

Arkansas, playing in its first ever BCS Bowl Game, is looking to prove that it belongs among the nation's elite teams.

Ohio State, no stranger to the BCS itself, is looking to represent the Big Ten well, and in the process earn its first ever bowl victory against a team from the Southeastern Conference.

However, when the Buckeyes take the field in the Superdome tomorrow night, there is no doubt they will have something more to prove than just representing Big Ten pride.  With all that has transpired in the past couple of weeks, Ohio State is out to prove that it is still a team. 

The five juniors who will be suspended for the first five games of next season have all spoken of the remorse for their actions.  Tomorrow is their first chance to show Buckeye nation, and the world, how sorry they really are through their on-field actions.

So, when Terrelle Pryor, Dan Herron, DeVier Posey, Mike Adams and Solomon Thomas take the field tomorrow night, there is no doubt they will have an added incentive to bring home a victory for the Buckeye faithful. 

And even though some detractors might say an Ohio State victory will be tainted by the presence of these five players, all of whom they believe should not be allowed to play in the game, New Orleans should serve as the perfect backdrop for what could be the beginning of the "Buckeye Redemption."